Over 1,000 ‘surplus’ teachers in city without a salary since March

Many of the teachers are in financial distress, and unions have accused the government of delaying their redeployment and stopping salaries unfairly

MUMBAI: More than 1,000 teachers in the city working at government and aided schools have not received their salaries since March after being declared “surplus” due to the closure of schools because of low student enrolment. Many of the teachers are in financial distress, and unions have accused the government of delaying their redeployment and stopping salaries unfairly.

Over 1,000 ‘surplus’ teachers in city without a salary since March.

A government resolution issued in March 2025 declared that schools with fewer than 20 students were being shut down. At present, around 100 schools in Mumbai, including 57 Marathi-medium schools, come into this category. The surplus teachers, no longer linked to any school, have stopped getting a salary from March since salaries are processed through the ‘Shalarth ID’ system, which only allows payments to teachers attached to sanctioned posts in schools.

While the education department has promised to redeploy the surplus teachers in other schools, there are only about 40 vacant posts, which has left over 1,000 teachers without a job. Tanaji Kamble, state president of the Maharashtra Progressive Teachers’ Union, said the government had set deadlines to complete the adjustment process by March 2026 but it remained incomplete in many districts. “Stopping salaries before completing the adjustment process is unjust,” he said.

Union leaders also pointed out that the ‘authorisation tab’ on the Shalarth portal had been deactivated, making it impossible to process salary bills. The leaders have demanded that salaries be continued from the original schools until the teachers are redeployed. “Not paying salaries is a serious issue,” said Hemlata Gavit, women’s vice-president of the union. “It is pushing teachers and their families into a financial crisis. The government must act immediately.”

Meanwhile, the Maharashtra State Teachers Council has raised the issue with school education minister Dada Bhuse. Shivnath Darade, Mumbai secretary of the council, questioned how teachers could be blamed for policies leading to school closures. The minister has assured the teachers that he will look into the matter.